The Sensitivity of Proposed Social Security Benefit Formula Changes to Lifetime Earnings Definitions

Table equivalent for Chart 1. Average number of hours worked "last week" for persons aged 25–54, by sex, selected years 1968–2007

Year

Average hours worked last week

Men

Women

1968

40.5

15.8

1970

39.7

16.2

1972

38.9

16.6

1974

38.6

17.3

1976

36.9

17.7

1978

37.9

19.6

1980

37.2

20.9

1982

35.4

21.0

1984

36.2

22.1

1986

36.5

23.6

1988

37.5

24.8

1990

37.5

25.3

1992

40.1

25.9

1994

36.2

25.4

1996

36.7

26.1

1998

37.5

26.6

2000

37.9

27.0

2002

36.0

26.4

2004

35.5

26.1

2006

35.8

26.0

2007

36.2

26.2

SOURCES: Author's calculations based on selected years of the Census Bureau's March Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), using Unicon Research Corporation's CPS utilities (2009), http://www.unicon.com.

NOTES: Average hours include zero hours of work. Last week refers to the week prior to the week in which the CPS respondent participated in the March Supplement to the CPS.

SOURCES: Author's calculations based on selected years of the Census Bureau's March Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), using Unicon Research Corporation's CPS utilities (2009), http://www.unicon.com.

NOTES: The CPS "weeks worked last year recode" variable used here is derived from self-reports on the number of weeks worked "last year" and the number of hours usually worked last year. Last year refers to the year prior to the year in which the CPS respondent participated in the March Supplement to the CPS.

Table equivalent for Chart A-1. Percentage of population at age 30 with various years of school completed, by sex, selected years 1968–2008

Year

Men

Women

<12

12–15

16+

<12

12–15

16+

1968

30

50.6

19.5

30.9

57.4

11.7

1970

25.5

54.7

19.8

25.8

62.2

12.1

1972

22.1

54.5

23.3

25.8

60.8

13.4

1974

18.2

58.5

23.3

18.9

64.6

16.5

1976

17.7

55.9

26.4

20

60.8

19.3

1978

13.7

56

30.3

17.8

63

19.2

1980

12.8

55.9

31.4

15.4

64.5

20.1

1982

12.6

60.4

27

12.5

64.7

22.8

1984

13.4

60

26.5

13.8

63.9

22.3

1986

13

61.1

25.9

13.2

64.9

21.9

1988

13.2

62.2

24.6

13

63.9

23.1

1990

17.6

59.5

22.9

13.4

64

22.5

1992

14.6

61.4

23.9

14.5

62.7

22.9

1994

15.4

60.4

24.2

12.1

65.2

22.7

1996

15.4

59.6

25

12.1

61.2

26.7

1998

10.7

59.9

29.4

11.2

58.8

30

2000

13.9

56.4

29.7

11.7

59.9

28.5

2002

15.7

57

27.4

11.3

56.8

32

2004

14.3

58

27.7

10.6

56.6

32.8

2006

14.1

59.6

26.3

11

55.8

33.2

2008

13.7

58.3

28

10

54.3

35.7

SOURCES: Author's calculations based on selected years of the Census Bureau's March Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), using Unicon Research Corporation's CPS utilities (2009), http://www.unicon.com.